Resources for Academic Publishing

Highlights of Publishing Educational Research
by Associate Provost Pamela Brown

1. Components of an Educational Research Paper (1)

Ideally, planning for publication starts before the research projects begins, in order to avoid common pitfalls.  The literature survey before the start of a project should suggest possible journals for publication.  Study the format of likely journals and keep it in mind for your future publication. A paper should be limited to one significant finding or closely related findings.  Typically sections include:

1. Title – brief and descriptive statement of the project
2. Abstract – summary of the problem; description of the cohort; brief discussion of the variables, the instruments used, the methodology, findings and the conclusion
3. Introduction – discussion of the problem and its importance; overview of the research strategy; literature review showing how this work builds on prior work. Research questions to be investigated.
4. Methodology – description of the sampling methods in enough detail to define the group studied and the procedures followed.  A description of instruments used.
5. Results – presentation of results and how data was analyzed.
6. Discussion – interpretation of results for the reader and conclusions. Relationship of findings to previous work. Discussion of limitations of the study and suggestions for future work.

2. Developing Research Questions (2)

Good research questions typically build on current theories. They meet the following criteria:

1. Address an identified problem that is worth asking
2. Are feasible to answer with resources available
3. Indicate who will be studied
4. Align with the planned methodology so that what is asked is measured
5. Align with the planned outcomes

3. Developing Methodologies (2)

Instruments can be qualitative or quantitative, depending on the research questions. Mixed methods use both to balance the inherent weaknesses of each. All research involving human subjects needs IRB approval or exemptions. Qualitative methods include interviews, observations, case studies and document analysis. Quantitative methods use inferential statistics to reject the null hypothesis – the opposite hypothesis is incorrect. It is not possible to prove that the research hypothesis is correct. Instruments should be valid (accurate) and reliable (reproducible). Identify potential limitations and try to modify the methods to eliminate or minimize. Use of multiple methods can improve the experimental design.

4.Surveys and Tests (2)

Many instruments are already available such as the SALG (Student assessment of learning goals), and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), to measure changes in metacognitive skills and attitudes.

 To test student learning, design questions with a range of difficulty. A plot of percentage correct as a function of increasing difficulty helps to identify questions that might need to be reviewed and revised. Be consistent in style and word choices (use the word “learn” three times, instead of “learn, comprehend, understand”, in three questions comparing student assessment of their experience in lab, lecture and group work). Avoid using “and” and “or” in questions. Instead ask two separate questions. Avoid vocabulary that may be unfamiliar and skew results. Keep items brief. When designing multiple choice questions select “distractors” that are plausible incorrect answers. Select rating scale choices that are clear (strongly disagree instead of very unimportant). Pilot instruments to catch potential problems.

Common Pitfalls in Methodologies (2)

When developing methodologies avoiding common pitfalls will increase your chances of publishing your work.  Pitfalls include:

1. Mistaking cause and effect – correlation is not necessarily due to causation.
2. Sampling errors – self-selected groups and teacher selected groups may limit the generalizability of any conclusions made by studying that group unless the selection method is factored out.
3. Pygmalion effects - students who are told they are special may perform; students from underrepresented groups when asked to state ethnicity/gender may score lower than when not asked.
4. Anectodal evidence – use of personal experience or student testimonials as evidence.
5. Use of non-valid and reliable instruments - resources such as, “Thorndike, R.M., Measurement and evaluation in Psychology and Education, 7^th ed, Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall, 2005,” are useful when constructing tests and surveys.  Use of already validated surveys and tests should be considered.
6. Self-reported learning by students – while lending evidence, this alone does not demonstrate increased student learning
7. Overgeneralization - claiming that results with a particular group of students or educational level applies to students with different characteristics or developmental level.
8. Insufficient sample size and demonstration of reproducibility

5. Sample Journals for Publishing Educational Research (3)

General Educational Journals

Journal of College Student Development

Journal of College Student Retention

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

American Educational Research Journal

Journal of the Learning Sciences

Learning and Instruction

Cognition and Instruction

Review of Educational Research

General STEM

Science Education

Journal of Research in Science Technology

Journal of College Science Teaching

Journal of STEM Education

Physics

American Journal of Physics

The Physics Teacher

Physical Review Special Topics – Physics Education Research

Chemistry

Journal of Chemical Education

Chemical Education Research and Practice

Biology

American Biology Teacher

BioScience

Advances in Physiology Education

CBE-Life Sciences Education

Engineering/Technology

Journal of Engineering Education

Engineering Studies

European Journal of Engineering Education

Engineering Education

Chemical Engineering Education

Journal of Technology Education

6. Sample Educational Publications by City Tech Faculty (2011)

1. Berger, Monica, Reggie Blake, Anne Leonard, Robin Michals, Mark Noonan, Susan Phillip, and Peter Spellane. "Campus without Boundaries: The Brooklyn GreenWalk." Making Teaching and Learning Matter: Transformative Spaces in Higher Education. Eds. Judith Summerfield and Cheryl C. Smith. New York: Springer, 2011.
2. King, Paul. "Technology and Teaching Philosophy, "Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 40(2), 2011-2012: pp 161-168.
3. Ghosh-Dastidar, Urmi and Liana Tsenova. Bio-Math Mapping: Water Quality Analysis of Hudson River and Gowanus Canal, A SENCER-based Summer Project. Science Education and Civic Engagement International Journal. 4:1 winter 2012.
4. Wilkin, Thomas and Nwoke, Godfrey I. “Career and Technical Education Teacher Shortage:  A Successful Model for Recruitment and Retention.” Journal of STEM Teacher Education.48 (1), 2011: 22-35.
5. Brown, Pamela and Brown, H.  “Lessons from the Past – Economic and Technological Impacts of U.S. Energy Policy,” Science Education and Civic Engagement: An International Journal; 3:2 Summer 2011.
6. Reneta D. Lansiquot, Candido Cabo.  "Alice's Adventures in Programming Narratives," in Randy Hinrichs, Charles Wankel (ed.) Transforming Virtual World Learning (Cutting-edge Technologies in Higher Education, Volume 4), 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.305-325.
7. Carley, Holly. “A note on fraction reduction through continued fractions”, Mathematics and Computer Education 45(1), Winter 2011: pp. 39-43.
8. Lansiquot, Reneta, & Rosalia, C. (2011). Online peer review: What’s role got to do with it? In Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2011 (pp. 1094-1103). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
9. Danzey, I.M., Ea, E.,  Fitzpatrick, J., Garbutt, S.J.,  Rafferty, Margaret.,  & Zychowicz, M.E. The Doctor of Nursing Practice and Nursing Education: Highlights, Potential and Promise. Journal of Professional Nursing 27 (5), September 2011: 311-314.  doi10.1016/j.profnurs.2011.06.008.
10. Rafferty, Margaret., & Lindell, D.  How Nurse Managers Rate the Clinical Competencies of Accelerated (Second-Degree) Nursing Graduates.  Journal of Nursing Education,  50 (6), June 2011:355-358.
11. Budny, Reneta, Manos, N. (2011, September). New York’s dental laboratory higher education: how it all began”.  LMT: Lab  Management Today. Retrieved from http://www.lmtmag.com/articles/517.
12. Gerardi, Stephen. “Family Income and Fathers' Education as a Function of Human Capital.” International Journal of Academic Research Vol.3 # 5,   9/30/11: 85-89.
13. Panayotakis, Costas. “Democracy and the Capitalist Crisis: The Greek Case,” International Journal for Pluralism and Economics Education, June 2011.
14. Panayotakis, Costas. “The global capitalist crisis and the youth:  From Tunisia and Egypt to Europe and the U.S,” International Journal for Pluralism and Economics Education, June 2011.

References

1. Rudner, Lawrence and Schafer, William D. (1999). How to Write a Scholarly Research Report, Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation. 6(13). Retrieved 1/24/12 from http://PAREonline.net/getvn.asp?v=6&n=13
2. Bunce, Diane M. and Cole, Renee S., editors. (2007). Nuts and Bolts of Chemical Education Research. American Chemical Society Symposium Series 976. Washington, DC.
3. Singer, Susan R. et. al. (2012). Discipline-Based Educational Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering. National Academy of Sciences.

Methodologies for Discussion

Are these methodologies well designed? If not, what is (are) the common error(s)? How could the method be improved?

1. Research Question: How does enrollment in a summer bridge course providing college preparation and career advisement impact GPA and one year retention?

Methodology: A four week summer bridge course providing college preparation and career advisement was taken by 40 pre-freshmen majoring in biology.  All biology students registering for the fall semester were offered the opportunity to take the course.  The GPA and one year retention of the summer bridge cohort were compared to all biology freshmen to determine if the course improved GPA and retention.

Discussion: The increased GPA and retention of the summer bridge cohort indicates that the course improved student success

2. Research Question: How does class size impact student learning?

Methodology: An instructor offered two sections of ECON 101 in the fall of 2010 – one with 25 students the other with 50 students.  The SALG was used to survey student assessment of their  learning in both sections

Discussion: Higher reported learning in the section with 25 students indicates that students learn more as class size decreases.

3. Research Question: To what extent does the use of “clickers” change student attitudes regarding chemistry?

Methodology: An instructor offered sections of ~500 students each in General Chemistry in both spring 2011 and spring 2012. In spring 2012 clickers were used, but in 2011 they were not.

In both years the Chemical Attitudes and Experiences Questionaire (CAEQ), a commercially available reliable and valid survey instrument, was administered the first day and last day of class to measure changes in student attitudes.

Discussion: Greater improvements in students attitudes in the “clicker” section demonstrate that “clickers” positively impact student attitudes toward chemistry.

this content originally from Queensland University of Technology and is licensed CC-BY-NC-SA 

Unless the title is Open Access, please access full text, if available, via the NYCCT Library ejournal portal. Links below go to the general journal homepage.

Chemical Engineering Education - Chemical Engineering Department, University of Florida.

Publication Date: 1962-

ISSN 0009-2479 (4 issues p.a.) OPEN ACCESS

Focus is on teaching Chemical Engineering, including curriculum and courses.Publishes papers in the broad field of chemical engineering education. Papers generally describe a course, a laboratory, a ChE department, a ChE educator, a ChE curriculum, research program, machine computation, special instructional programs, or give views and opinions on various topics of interest to the profession.

 Chemistry Education: Research and Practice - Royal Society of Chemistry

Publication Date: 2005 -

ISSN 1109-4028 (4 issues p.a.) PEER REVIEWED & OPEN ACCESS

Coverage includes: research, and reviews of research, of all levels of chemistry education; evaluations of effective innovative practice in the teaching of chemistry; in depth analyses of issues of direct relevance to chemistry education . The objectives of the journal are threefold:
1) To provide researchers with the means to publish their work in full in a journal exclusively dedicated to chemistry education 
2) To offer teachers of chemistry at all levels a place where they can share effective ideas and methods for the teaching and learning of chemistry 
3) To bridge the gap between the two groups so that researchers will have their results seen by those who could benefit from using them, and practitioners will gain from encountering the ideas and results of those who have made a particular study of the learning process

Education for Chemical Engineers - European Federation of Chemical Engineering

Publication Date: 2006 -

ISSN 1749-7728 (4 issues p.a.) PEER REVIEWED 

Presents original papers in chemical, process and biomolecular engineering education of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education students. Papers demonstrating how educational research results can be applied to chemical engineering education are welcome, as are the accounts of research that bring new perspectives to established principles, highlighting unsolved problems or indicating direction for future research.

Education in Chemistry (eic) e-magazine - Royal Society of Chemistry

Publication Date: 2010 -

ISSN 1749-5326 (6 issues p.a.)

Supports all teachers of chemistry across the secondary, further and higher education sectors. Tools and resources which promote the sharing of best practice and innovative teaching.

International Journal of STEM education

Publication Date: 2013 -

eISSN 2196-7822 (frequency varies) PEER REVIEWED & OPEN ACCESS

multidisciplinary journal in subject-content education that focuses on the study of teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)

Journal of Chemical Education - American Chemical Society. Division of Chemical Education

Publication Date: 1924 -

ISSN 1938-1328 (12 issues p.a.) PEER REVIEWED 

A resource to those in the field of chemical education and to those institutions that serve them. JCE typically addresses chemical content, activities, laboratory experiments, instructional methods, and pedagogies. Serves as a means of communication among people across the world who are interested in the teaching and learning of chemistry.

 

Journal of Research in Science Teaching (JRST) - National Association for Research in Science Teaching

Publication Date: 1963 -

ISSN 0022-4308 (10 issues p.a.) PEER REVIEWED 

Publishes reports for science education researchers and practitioners working in the domain of science teaching and learning and science education policy. Accepts scholarly manuscripts such as investigations employing qualitative, ethnographic, historical, survey, philosophical, or case study research approaches; position papers; policy perspectives; critical reviews of the literature; research briefs; and comments and criticism.
Readership: Teacher training institutions • college-level educators and researchers • school administrators • curriculum specialists.

Journal of Science Education and Technology

Publication Date: 1992 -

eISSN 1573-1839 (4 issues p.a.) PEER REVIEWED 

Articles advance science education at all levels. The journal publishes theory and practice in order to facilitate future efforts of individuals and groups involved in the field. Recognizing technology’s growing role in both the understanding and development of science and in the delivery of information, the journal includes technology as a component of science education.

Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research

Publication Date: 2000 -

ISSN 1557-5284 (2 issues p.a.) PEER REVIEWED & OPEN ACCESS

Promotes high-quality undergraduate education in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Publishes peer reviewed articles which provide case studies and other innovations, are informed by educational research and are tested through assessment of impact on student learning. Includes results from educational research that inform teaching and learning in STEM and recent developments that impact STEM education in such areas as policy and industry needs. Published semi-annually.

This content originally from Queensland University of Technology and is licensed CC-BY-NC-SA 

Unless the title is Open Access, please access full text, if available, via the NYCCT Library ejournal portal. Links below go to the general journal homepage.

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology - Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE)
Publication Date: 1985 -
ISSN 1449-5554 (6 issues p.a.) PEER REVIEWED & OPEN ACCESS
Publishing research and review articles in educational technology, information and communications technologies for education, online and e-learning, educational design, multimedia, computer assisted learning, and related areas.